Kruise Reddick and John Dunbar scored in the 3rd, but a Storm strike in the 1st and 2 unanswered in the 2nd set Manchester out to a 3-0 lead that was just enough for a home ice 3-2 defeat of the visiting Flames.

Storm were first onto the gamesheet when Dane Byers got them started just inside the back half of the opening frame and that made up the only scoring through the set.

Almost exactly the same distance into the middle period, Chance Braid added another for Storm before Ciaran Long, with a quick follow up, ensured they would enjoy a 3-0 advantage when the puck dropped to start the 3rd.

A little over 7 minutes into the final stanza, Reddick counted one for the visitors to pull within a pair, and just under 3 minutes from close Dunbar cut the difference to a single. About 70 seconds from the end, Spectrum’s men replaced netminder Travis Fullerton with an extra skater, but the strategy failed to get Surrey’s team back to even terms.

“It is a shame we didn’t play the first 40 minutes like we did the last 20, or we might have been able to get out of there with a point or two,” said Head Coach Paul Dixon.

“Travis in goal was our best player and he gave us a chance to still be sniffing around for a point in the last few minutes of the evening.”

“We will have to pick each other up again, and try to make something happen on Saturday when we are at home to Fife Flyers.”